Spouses, Partners, & Children
Boston Area School Information
After you have found housing in the Boston area, you may wish to have your children attend a nearby public school. Each community has several elementary schools and one or more high schools. You should call the general information number listed here for your town and ask for information. Generally, to register your children for school go directly to the individual school. If you live in Cambridge go to the Parent Information Center at 459 Broadway. If you live in Boston, go to the Parent Information Center in that district.
Registration procedures differ slightly from public school to public school, but in general you should take the following items with you to registration. For more information call your individual school.
- Identification: a birth certificate or passport
- Health records: These should include a record of all immunizations. Massachusetts law requires that children entering grades K to 6 provide a record of the following immunizations:
- four doses of DTP (diptheria, tetanus toxoids-pertussis vaccine);
- three doses of trivalent polio vaccine;
- one dose of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella vaccine) given at or after 12 months of age.
Additionally, children entering grade 7 must have received a second MMR vaccine, and children entering grades 10 to 12 must show proof of a Td booster (tetanus toxoid-diptheria) within the last ten years.
- Address verification: This may come in the form of a bill or bank statement addressed to you at your current address.
- Previous school records: Any records you have from your child's previous school will help in placing your child correctly. If your child will be in kindergarten, he or she will be placed by age. Most schools require that kindergarten students be 5 years old either by August 31 or December 31 of the school year. Contact your individual school for details.
Please note that some daycare programs for before and after school are privately run. All public school systems offer English Language learner's program (a.k.a. English as a second language) which may help your child adjust to a new language. Ask if an English Language learners' program is available in the specific school where your child is assigned.